Born in Valle d'Ogna (near Bergamo), Italy, in 1214; died in Cremona, Italy,
May 7, 1279; cultus approved 1748; feast day formerly May 11. Albert "the
Farmer" was a peasant farmer who followed his pious and industrious
father's example. His father taught him many practices of penance and piety
that later fructified in a saintly life. At seven, Albert was fasting three
days a week, giving the foregone food to the poor. Working at the heavy labor
of the fields, Albert learned to see God in all things, and to listen for His
voice in all nature. The beauty of the earth was to him a voice that spoke only
of heaven. He grew up pure of heart, discreet, and humble--to the edification
of the entire village.

Albert married while still
quite young. At first his wife made no objection to the generosity and
self-denial for which he was known. When his father died, however, she made
haste to criticize his every act and word, and made his home almost unbearable
with her shrewish scolding. "You give too much time to prayer and to the
poor!" she charged; Albert only replied that God will return all gifts
made to the poor.

In testimony to this, God
miraculously restored the meal Albert had given away over his wife's
objections. Finally, softened by Albert's prayers, she ceased her nagging and
became his rival in piety and charity. She died soon after her conversion, and
Albert, being childless, he left his father's farm to make a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem and Rome.

Stopping at Cremona, Italy,
at harvest time, Albert went to work in the fields. He soon earned the name of
"the diligent worker." His guardian angel worked beside him in the
fields, and, therefore, twice the work was accomplished that might be expected
of one man. Weighing in his grain at the end of the day, Albert always received
twice as much in wages as the other workers did. Though he gave this to the
poor and kept nothing for himself, jealous companions determined to annoy him.
Planting pieces of iron in the field where Albert would be working the next
day, they watched to see him break or dull his scythe. Miraculously, the scythe
cut through iron as it did through the grain, never suffering any harm. In
Cremona Albert's poverty was also a witness to a group of heretics there who
boasted of their own poverty.

In all, Albert visited Rome
nine times, Santiago de Compostela eight times, and Jerusalem once. He worked
his way, giving to the poor every penny he could spare. His pilgrimages were
almost unbroken prayer; he walked along singing hymns and chanting Psalms, or
conversing on things of God with the people he met along the way.

Appalled at the suffering
of pilgrims who fell ill far from home and the penniless, Albert determined to
build a hospital for their use. This he actually accomplished by his prayers
and diligent work.

In 1256, he met the
Dominicans. Attracted by the life of Saint Dominic, Albert joined the Brothers
of Penance, which later became the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic, and
continued his works of charity in his new state. As a lay brother he was
closely associated with the religious but lived in the world so that he was
able to continue his pilgrimages. At home, he assisted the Dominican fathers in
Cremona, working happily in their garden, cultivating the medicinal herbs so
necessary at the time, and doing cheerfully all the work he could find that was
both heavy and humble.

Falling very ill, Albert
sent a neighbor for the priest, but there was a long delay, and a dove came
bringing him Holy Viaticum. When he died, the bells of Cremona rang of
themselves, and people of all classes hurried to view the precious remains. It
was planned to bury him in the common cemetery, outside the cloister, as he was
a secular tertiary, but no spade could be found to break the ground. An unused
tomb was discovered in the church of Saint Matthias, where he had so often
prayed, and he was buried there. Many miracles were attributed to him after his
death, and the farmer- saint became legendary for his generosity to the poor
(Benedictines, Bentley, Dominicans, Dorcy, Gill).

In
art, Saint Albert is a farm laborer cutting through a stone with a scythe. He
may shown be shown (1) when a dove brings him the viaticum, or (2) with a dove,
Host, and censer near him (Roeder). Albert is the patron of bakers and
day-laborers, and is venerated in Cremona, Bergamo, and Ogna (Roeder).

(also
known as Albert d'Ogna or Albert the Farmer)

Memorial Day: May 11th

Profile

Albert
"the Farmer" was a peasant farmer who followed his pious and
industrious father's example. His father taught him many practices of penance
and piety that later fructified in a saintly life. At seven, Albert was fasting
three days a week, giving the foregone food to the poor. Working at the heavy
labor of the fields, Albert learned to see God in all things, and to listen for
His voice in all nature. The beauty of the earth was to him a voice that spoke
only of heaven. He grew up pure of heart, discreet, and humble--to the
edification of the entire village.

Albert
married while still quite young. At first his wife made no objection to the
generosity and self-denial for which he was known. When his father died,
however, she made haste to criticize his every act and word, and made his home
almost unbearable with her shrewish scolding. "You give too much time to
prayer and to the poor!" she charged; Albert only replied that God will
return all gifts made to the poor.

In
testimony to this, God miraculously restored the meal Albert had given away
over his wife's objections. Finally, softened by Albert's prayers, she ceased
her nagging and became his rival in piety and charity. She died soon after her
conversion, and Albert, being childless, he left his father's farm to make a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Rome.

Stopping
at Cremona, Italy, at harvest time, Albert went to work in the fields. He soon
earned the name of "the diligent worker." His guardian angel worked
beside him in the fields, and, therefore, twice the work was accomplished that
might be expected of one man. Weighing in his grain at the end of the day,
Albert always received twice as much in wages as the other workers did. Though
he gave this to the poor and kept nothing for himself, jealous companions
determined to annoy him. Planting pieces of iron in the field where Albert
would be working the next day, they watched to see him break or dull his
scythe. Miraculously, the scythe cut through iron as it did through the grain,
never suffering any harm. In Cremona Albert's poverty was also a witness to a
group of heretics there who boasted of their own poverty.

In all,
Albert visited Rome nine times, Santiago de Compostela eight times, and
Jerusalem once. He worked his way, giving to the poor every penny he could
spare. His pilgrimages were almost unbroken prayer; he walked along singing
hymns and chanting Psalms, or conversing on things of God with the people he
met along the way.

Appalled
at the suffering of pilgrims who fell ill far from home and the penniless,
Albert determined to build a hospital for their use. This he actually
accomplished by his prayers and diligent work.

In 1256,
he met the Dominicans. Attracted by the life of Saint Dominic, Albert joined the
Brothers of Penance, which later became the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic,
and continued his works of charity in his new state. As a lay brother he was
closely associated with the religious but lived in the world so that he was
able to continue his pilgrimages. At home, he assisted the Dominican fathers in
Cremona, working happily in their garden, cultivating the medicinal herbs so
necessary at the time, and doing cheerfully all the work he could find that was
both heavy and humble.

Falling
very ill, Albert sent a neighbor for the priest, but there was a long delay,
and a dove came bringing him Holy Viaticum. When he died, the bells of Cremona
rang of themselves, and people of all classes hurried to view the precious
remains. It was planned to bury him in the common cemetery, outside the
cloister, as he was a secular tertiary, but no spade could be found to break
the ground. An unused tomb was discovered in the church of Saint Matthias,
where he had so often prayed, and he was buried there. Many miracles were
attributed to him after his death, and the farmer- saint became legendary for
his generosity to the poor (Benedictines, Bentley, Dominicans, Dorcy, Gill).

Born: Born in Valle d'Ogna (near Bergamo), Italy, in
1214

Died: died in Cremona, Italy, May 7, 1279

Beatified: cultus approved May 9, 1748 by Pope Benedict
XIV

Representation: In art, Saint Albert is a farm laborer cutting
through a stone with a scythe. He may shown be shown (1) when a dove brings him
the viaticum, or (2) with a dove, Host, and censer near him (Roeder). Albert is
the patron of bakers and day-laborers, and is venerated in Cremona, Bergamo,
and Ogna (Roeder).

Commemorations

First Vespers:

Ant. Come, O daughters
of Jerusalem, and behold a Martyr with a crown wherewith the Lord crowned him
on the day of solemnity and rejoicing, alleluia, alleluia

Ant. In the city of the Lord
the music of the Saints incessantly resounds: there the angels and archangels
sing a canticle before the throne of God, alleluia.

V. Pray for us, Blessed
Albert, alleluia

R. That we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ. alleluia

Prayer:

Let us Pray: O God , who wast
pleased that Blessed Albert, Thy Confessor, should shine with singular sanctity
in a lowly condition of life, grant that we may so tread in his footsteps as to
be worthy to obtain his reward. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Born to a modest but pious
farm family. Married layman. Farmer in Villa d’Ogna, Italy. Dominican tertiary.
Known for his ministry and devotion to the poor. Pilgrim to Rome, Italy, to
Jerusalem and to Compostela, Spain. Settled finally in Cremona, Italy. Known as
a miracle worker.

Almighty and ever-loving God, you
led Blessed
Albert to shine forth in humility of life, in zeal for the truth and in
apostolic charity. May we follow in his footsteps and so obtain the same
reward. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. – General Calendar of the Order of Preachers

Blessed Albert of Bergamo

There are a lot of saints and blesseds on the calendar today and I chose Blessed
Albert of Bergamo because he made a pilgrimage to Compostela, Spain and I
will be there in about 90 days. Blessed Albert was born in Villa d'Ogna, Italy
to a modest but pious farm family. He was a married layman and worked as a
farmer. He also became a Dominican tertiary. He ministered to the poor. Other
pilgrimages he made were to Rome and Jerusalem. He eventually settled in
Cremona, Italy. He died on May 7, 1279 in Cremona of natural causes. He was
beatified on May 9, 1748 by Pope Benedict XIV. He is the patron of bakers and
day laborers.

Prayer

Almighty and ever-loving God, you led Blessed Albert to shine forth in
humility of life, in zeal for the truth and in apostolic charity. May we follow
in his footsteps and so obtain the same reward. We ask this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever.